Betrayal
by BEN-Beyond the Elusive Nomads
Summary: The week of the Cruciamentum, Buffy isn't hurt by her normal game, and when she wakes up she isn't the Buffy they all know. Written for HC Bingo on LJ.


**Title: ****Betrayal**  
**Prompt:**amnesia  
**Medium:** Fic  
**Rating**: R  
**Warnings:**angst, rape (implied)  
**Summary:**The week of the Cruciamentum, Buffy isn't hurt by her normal game, and when she wakes up she isn't the Buffy they all know.

It was the steady beeping sound that woke her up. She didn't remember how she'd gotten to wherever she was, she just knew that there was a sense of unease around her that made her stomach lurch around angrily. The beeping speed up in time with her heart, and she realized almost immediately where she was.

She was in a hospital. But why?

Then she heard the voices around her, talking.

"I told you that this, this test was archaic and simply monstrous!" an angry British voice called, "Look what it's done to my Slayer!"

"This simply proves that she is unfit for duty as a Slayer. You think she could have passed the Cruciamentum without her strength when a group of humans managed to best her?" a calmer British man responded despondently.

"She was attacked by the people she's sworn to protect! Sometimes it doesn't matter how smart you may be, if you're out numbered by such a huge amount then you will get hurt! She was just an eighteen year old girl in that situation! Not a Slayer!"

"No matter. When she awakens, we will put her through the test and find out once in for all if she is fit for duty."

"You're going to get my Slayer killed!"

"Then so be it."

She tried to open her eyes and see the people arguing so violently, to tell them to shut up and let her rest, but she was so weak she could only fall back asleep.

The next time she awoke there was silence, not a single person speaking. She finally opened her eyes and she found herself alone in a pale, washed room – a room she clearly labeled a hospital room. She tried to remember why she was here, what got her here, when a horrifying thought reached her.

She didn't remember. In point of fact, she didn't remember anything. Not her name, not her age, not her family. Nothing.

"Buffy!"

She jumped as the voice pierced her senses and turned to see a pale red headed girl running into the room, a bag of chips in her hand and tears in her eyes. She blinked in confusion. Was she Buffy, then? Was that her name?

"Oh, god, I'm so glad you're okay!" The red head said as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "Oh god, you are okay, right? You're not in pain, are you?"

"Who are you?" she asked bluntly, looking at the red head in confusion, "And what do you mean?"

The red head promptly burst into tears.

_Two Weeks Later_

Buffy watched as her mother fretted around, talking a mile a minute, trying to do anything to fill the awkward silence. Buffy was still completely baffled by what was going on. It felt like people weren't telling her something, something important, and her mind kept going back to that first conversation she heard.

What she was told was that she had been attacked on her way home one night and raped by a group of men. She knew she should feel horrified by what she had found out, but honestly it didn't feel real. It felt like she was being told the story of someone else's life. Not hers.

So she acted the part – she felt as if that was the only thing she could do. She hung out with her friends, she went to school, and she acted contrite. But in truth she was detached. Were these really her friends? Did she really like them? Because her male friend, Xander, seemed like he had more than a few emotional problems that seemed to bounce back onto her, while Willow seemed controlling in a subtle kind of way.

Then there was the librarian who seemed to be everywhere, wondering if she was okay. She recognized his voice as one of the men that had been arguing over her, but she found herself almost scared of him. Like she couldn't trust him. Like he had betrayed her.

And to top it all off there was the strangely solemn, silent man who she only saw at night. He looked at her with longing, but all she felt was revulsion and distrust, like he had hurt her before.

"Mom?" Buffy said weakly, "I think I'm going to go out, take a walk."

"What? Oh, okay. Be safe, sweetheart." Joyce said with a fearful look, "Do you have pepper spray or…something?"

"In my pocket." Buffy responded, "I'll, ah, be back later."

"Be safe!" her mom repeated as Buffy quickly left the house, eager to get away from the oppressive sensation. When she entered the cool night air she felt a relief that couldn't be explained – like this was where she belonged. She didn't know why she felt so at ease – if anything she should be terrified. But it felt as if she were at home.

"Hello, cutie."

Buffy froze mid step and turned to look at the person behind her. He was just a bit taller than her with bleached hair and sharp features, but otherwise he sparked no memory. He was just a person. If anything, she felt respect for him. Why? She didn't know.

"Do I know you?" she asked, "I mean not to be rude, but seriously – I don't remember you. Or anyone for that matter."

The man quirked an eyebrow and leisurely strolled up to her until they were barely a foot away. He hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and looked at her with what could only be described as hunger. It made her skin shudder with excitement.

"So, Slayer's lost her memory." He said, "What a twist. 'N I was comin' back to pick a fight. Guess I'm a bit outta luck."

"Sorry to disappoint." She said dryly, not even questioning his nickname for her. She opened her mouth to ask him further questions, but was interrupted by a voice that was beginning to grate on her nerves.

"Buffy!" Angel cried as he ran towards them, "Get away from him!"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Nice to see you too, Angel."

"Get away from her!" Angel snarled as he came up to Buffy's side and placed an authoritative hand on her shoulder. Fear shot through her and she yanked herself away from him and placed herself at the Londoners side.

"Don't touch me." She said firmly, flexing her fingers. Angel looked at her as if he were a kicked puppy.

"Buffy." He begged, "Please, step away from him."

"I'm gonna go with no." Buffy retorted, making the blonde chuckle, "I'm gonna have to go on my instincts on this, and they're saying forget you and go with Billy Idol here."

"You can't trust him!" Angel repeated. Buffy rolled her eyes, and before she really knew what she was doing she landed a high kick right on the overbearing mans temple, knocking him dead out.

"Bloody hell!" the man at her side said with glee, "Tha' was bloody priceless!"

"I'm glad I could entertain you." She said wryly, not even fazed by her apparent new-found abilities. She brushed off her pants. "So, what's your name?"

"Spike." He said simply, "an' you're Buffy."

"So they tell me." Buffy agreed, "You wanna explain why they keep callin' me Slayer?"

"If you explain how you lost your memory." Spike agreed. Buffy gave him a long look before nodding.

"You've got yourself a deal." She agreed.

She didn't know why she agreed with him – part of her just told her that it would lead to goodness. She ignored the warnings Angel had all but forced down her throat, and followed Spike as they walked off side by side into the darkness.

"Apparently, I was attacked in an alley way by a couple of men," she said blandly, "I got stabbed once or twice, and raped. Or at least that's what they tell me. They say it's amazing that I survived."

Spike was silent for a long moment before he finally spoke. "You're the Slayer – a Champion of the Powers that Be. It's your job to slay vampires and demons and all sorts of nasties that go bump in the night."

"Right. And by the way Angel was reacting to you, I'm guessing you're one of them?" she responded. She looked at him and he grinned before shaking his head and letting his demon free.

"You got that one right. But he's not one to be throwin' stones. He's as much a vampire as I am." He explained. Buffy looked at him and nodded once.

"So, you wanna go get a burger?" she asked. "I'm in need of some salty greasy goodness."

Spike just threw back his head and laughed before nodding. "Sure thing, Slayer. Hell, I'll even pay this time. But as soon as you get your memory back I'm gonna go back to being Public Enemy Number One, you got it?"

Buffy smiled at him and held out her hand. "Until then."


End file.
